Star Trek: Enterprise is set almost one hundred years before the days of Kirk. It was, however, short-lived, cancelled by UPN after only four seasons. Along with the original and animated incarnations, it is the first Star Trek series in decades to not enjoy a full seven season run.

The series was titled simply Enterprise when it premiered, a tactic intended to help encourage non-Star Trek fans to watch the show. Beginning with the third episode of the third season, Extinction, "Star Trek:" was added to the title in keeping with the names of the other Star Trek spin-offs.